Jacob Crouch: Killer stepfather will not have sentence increased

Jacob Crouch was found to have 39 rib fractures and 19 visible bruises

A man who murdered his 10-month-old stepson will not have his sentence increased, a review has decided.

In August, Craig Crouch, 39, was jailed for a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of Jacob Crouch.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) then said this decision would be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

But the AGO has now said the test as to whether a sentence was unduly lenient "was not met in this case".

Crouch was also convicted of three counts of child cruelty and given a life sentence.

The boy's mother, Gemma Barton, 33, was jailed for 10 years for causing or allowing his death and one count of child cruelty.

Crouch was convicted of murder and Barton was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child

Both sentences were reviewed under the ULS scheme.

An AGO spokesman said: "The Solicitor General was deeply saddened and appalled by this case.

"After careful consideration, the Solicitor General has concluded that this case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.

"A referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme to the Court of Appeal can only be made if a sentence is not just lenient but unduly so, such that the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence.

"The threshold is a high one and the test was not met in this case."

Crouch and Barton were both jailed after a seven-week trial at Derby Crown Court.

The court heard Jacob was found dead in his cot at his home in Linton, near Swadlincote in Derbyshire, on 30 December 2020 after a "vicious" attack at the hands of his stepfather.

He was found to have 39 rib fractures, 19 visible bruises and internal injuries comparable with car crash victims, at the time of his death.

Sentencing him on 4 August, Mr Justice Kerr told Crouch: "You caused Jacob acute physical and mental suffering.

"You inflicted first bruising and then fractured ribs on this little baby.

"You have not shown any remorse for what you did."